Preston is an area in central Nova Scotia, Canada in the Halifax Regional Municipality, located on Trunk 7. The population in 2006 was 2,360 including East Preston and North Preston.[1]
Preston's previous community boundaries stretched westward into parts of Cherry Brook to Highway 111, and eastward through what is now Lake Echo and Porter's Lake to Myra Road. (including through East Preston), North to North Preston, and South through parts to the boundaries of Lawrencetown. Currently, there is no actual community strictly known as "Preston". Rather, Preston is generally used to refer to the area encompassed by the communities of East Preston, North Preston, and Cherry Brook, or in reference to the Preston Electoral District.
The area is believed to have been named after Preston, Lancashire, England or Thomas Preston, a British army officer involved in the Boston Massacre the American Revolution.[2] Preston inspired the named of the famous African Nova Scotian leader and clergyman Richard Preston who after escaping slavery took the name of the community where he was reunited with his mother.[3]
Preston has the largest percentage of Black people of any area in Canada; 69.4% of its population is Black.[1]
Preston is home to the first Black MLA and Cabinet Minister in Nova Scotia, from East Preston.Dr. Wayne Adams North Preston is home of World Heavyweight contender in boxing Kirk Johnson.